In honor of International Babywearing week (October 8th-14th) I’d like to share a little bit about babywearing and the many benefits for the parent and child! Babywearing has been around as long as humans have had babies; it's even depicted in hieroglyphs from ancient Egypt!
Babywearing is so helpful as a parenting tool. It keeps your hands free and your child close. Babywearing a newborn regulates their breathing, heart rate and temperature. It promotes bonding, communication and trust by helping the parent anticipate and quickly tend to baby's needs. It makes nursing and napping easier on the go, it also means not lugging around a big stroller in crowds and being able to go places a stroller can’t go.
There are so many options in the world of wearing! I always recommend a ring sling or a woven wrap because they can take a baby from birth to kid. A lot of parents — dads especially — like buckle carriers, such as Ergo, Boba, Onya and Beco. Buckle carriers are great, as long as a baby can sit unassisted. There are websites that offer layaway and rentals to help make picking a carrier more affordable. Some carriers cost a lot for what looks like “a piece of fabric,” but it can take the place of a fancy stroller and last for years!
If you want to learn more about babywearing, finding the right carrier, or get some hands-on help, you can also find a local babywearing group. Not only will you make friends, but you’ll get to learn about all the options and how to use them!
Brianna Cabral is a mother of 3 and wearer of all the babies! She is a Certified Babywearing Educator and runs the Facebook group Babywearing International of Eastern and Central WI, Wraps n’ slings, and owns a Consultation and Teaching business: Helping Hands.
